TOTTI BLOCKED
BY LOMBALGIA
HE WILL MISS THE
NATIONAL TEAM MATCH
Francesco Totti will not be able to play with the National team in the friendly match in Warsaw against Poland: at the end of the derby yesterday evening, the Roma forward was suffering from the lombalgia that was already bothering him a few days ago. The National team physician Ferretti and the Roma physician Brozzi spoke together this morning and agreed with the head coach Trapattoni that the player should not take part in the friendly match scheduled for the day after tomorrow.
Totti will not be substituted and will undergo treatment in Rome and will probably recover in time for the Sunday match in Ancona against Romania. If his physical conditions are satisfactory, then the Roma forward will be on the list of players called for the match in Ancona that Trapattoni will define on Thursday, the 13th, after returning from Poland.
Antonio Cassano’s chances of making his Italy debut against Poland have increased after an injury to Francesco Totti.
The Roma captain won’t take part in Wednesday’s friendly because of a back problem but he may be back for next Sunday’s test against Romania.
Totti spoke to national boss Giovanni Trapattoni earlier today where they agreed that the player would remain in Italy to receive treatment from his club.
That enforced absence may now see Cassano finally make his Azzurri debut after he won his maiden call-up last night.
"I was hoping that my performances this season would convince the Coach to select me," Cassano told ‘Controcampo’ on Monday.
"His comments earlier this season suggested that I wouldn’t be included and I wasn’t expecting to be named in the squad."
Trap had openly claimed that the 21-year-old Cassano was still too young for the national side. But the former Bari starlet now has a chance to impress.
"I’ve been waiting for this moment for years," he continued. "The national side has always been a real ambition of mine.
"Especially because I have to admit that some players who have been included in the past were not as good as me. This is my shot to convince Trap to keep calling me up."
One of the main question marks over Cassano is his attitude, one that has seen him have numerous disagreements with Roma boss Fabio Capello and U-21 tactician Claudio Gentile.
"Today’s Cassano is a lot different from the immature one of a few years ago, the one that brought Gentile to despair," he promised.